Golden Keys to Expand Your Lifespan

Use the Key Before it Rusts!

Fashion has its charm forever, but nutrition and fitness are fast picking up on the same lines as fashion-people fall head over heels in love with anything that is introduced in the market such as a new diet, some quirky superfood or an exercise routine. This might work out with fashion but when it comes to health, changing from one diet to another or likewise will never benefit our health. Instead, we need to create and stick with a diet and exercise routine that will have a long-lasting impact on our body.
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When we have the motivation in us to create the change, this motivation stays as the strong cause that keeps us grounded to our objective in times of difficulty. For this, we need to define our objectives clearly and question ourselves whether our habits fulfill these objectives and if so, how. No goal is achievable without proper planning, commitment and execution. Once these three are firmly done in a systematic manner, no one can beat us to our target.

Objective in Life
If one of your objectives is to live a longer, healthier life, the study done by researchers from Harvard Public Health gives you the right five solutions for a healthy life without any superfoods, magic pills and so on. This study appeared in the American Heart Association journal after analyzing and following up more than 1,00,000 people for a period of up to 34 years. The researchers concluded that individuals who engaged in practicing all the five low-risk life factors increased their lifespan by a huge number of years, 14 years in the case of women and 12 years in the case of men specifically.

The five low-risk factors include:

1. Not smoking
2. Stay on a healthy weight by maintaining your BMI in the ranges between 18.5 and 24.9
3. Exercise daily. Physical activity is not a choice but a habit. Unless people take steps from their end to make it a habit just like brushing teeth or having bath, we as a world will not be able to improve our health status to the next degree. Involve yourself in moderate- or vigorous-intensity exercise for 30 or more minutes every day.
4. Restrict alcohol consumption and stick within defined limits-one drink in the case of women and two drinks in the case of men
5. Eat a well-balanced diet that is healthy. Such a diet primarily includes more of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and low-fat dairy with decreased intake of processed foods, red meat, sugar-rich items, fatty foods or sodium-packed ones.
   
   

The study is of great relevance here as it is not only a long-term one that followed-up on a large set of participants but also because it focuses on an improved lifespan. There was a total of 42,167 deaths recorded over the period of 34 years.

On Par with Risk Factors
The study emphasizes again and again on the importance of following a healthy lifestyle for improved longevity. Sadly, not many people are eager to pursue a healthy lifestyle ignoring all the fancy foods and beverages available. It’s high time that people begin to assess themselves on these five parameters and set their goals accordingly. You might exercise and avoid smoking but you party every weekend and indulge in drinks which raises your calorie intake rapidly. Otherwise, it might also be that you exercise daily and avoid smoking and drinking but food is one thing that devastates all other efforts. Analyzing and determining your area of weakness helps you focus on this particular area and set things right. You can start with one weak area and progress towards the rest one after the other. Some workable and interesting tips to start off include:

• If you feel your diet to lack in heathy food sources, start progressing by adding one fruit and vegetable to your meal. Learn the simple tricks to introduce new foods every week or so with the help of tips from the website www.firsteatright.com.
• If you would like to decrease alcohol consumption, start from home. Either cut down on your drinks at home or if you really enjoy drinking in solace, go for a fruit juice or mocktail at social gatherings
• If you want to exercise more, try adding a few minutes of exercise each day until you reach your target
  
  

Once you start implementing small changes and it becomes a part of your routine, it is even better to slowly but strongly incorporate all five habits into your lifestyle. It is inevitable that all of us will face hurdles and stop-gap problems while trying to fulfill these habits but during these times remind yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing. This reminder helps you stick with your ultimate goal and stop not until achieving it.